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Help me choose a pair of monitors (budget max €3500)
- Thread starter fmessier6
- Start date
- Thread Starter
- #222
I could, yes, but the Kontrol 2 is still under warranty.
Even with only removing the knob, so no need to open the whole unit, this could resolve your issue without having to send it back.
IME the same problem usually happens in 2 cases :
- The pot is set once, and never moved again.
- Your hygrometry is rather high in your room.
IME the same problem usually happens in 2 cases :
- The pot is set once, and never moved again.
- Your hygrometry is rather high in your room.
- Thread Starter
- #224
In each tutorial I see on YouTube, they all disasseble the unit, which is something I don't want to do. I can remove the plastic knob to expose the upper part of the potentiometer and the small nut/bolt around it, but I can't see the actual conctacts below.
As long as you manage to spray the chemical into the pot it's a win! They usually aren't sealed and show smalls openings in which you can squeeze the straw... But I agree that a warranty return is ofc the safest option... (slowest too)
- Thread Starter
- #226
It's Thomann so they will attempt to repair themselves, compared to Amazon where you can simply return it. I would have preferred the latter to be honest.
This interface lasted what... two months? The scratching is pretty severe, not something minor. I don't want another one of these if there is a chance I will have this problem again. Tomorrow I will order another interface on Amazon to replace this one, and send this one back to be repaired.
All the budget interfaces seem to have unstable drivers for Windows, except maybe for the SSL2.
caught gesture
Active Member
The Motu UltraLite-mk5 gets solid reviews here, at least for audio quality. From my experience, RME interfaces have always been very stable, well-constructed and be renowned for having excellent drivers. Plenty of budget options available these days but with low cost comes low-cost parts. I used to have a Benchmark ADC. That was a really well-engineered piece of kit.
- Thread Starter
- #228
Thank you.
From RME, the only available in stock interface is the MADIface, not sure what I'm gonna do with 136 channels though, my requirements are one or two inputs, a big knob for volume and stable Win 7 drivers. And as a bonus, something that won't break down after a month.
dshreter
Senior Member
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How about Motu M4?
lowkeyoperations
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I’ve got an SSL2. Sound quality is good. Better than Motu M2 that was noticeably veiled in comparison.
Prior to the SSL I had a metric halo 2882 but didn’t need 8 ins/outs so decided not to upgrade it to the USBC card. I’d say the SSL is the same quality DAC as the Metric Halo.
Prior to the SSL I had a metric halo 2882 but didn’t need 8 ins/outs so decided not to upgrade it to the USBC card. I’d say the SSL is the same quality DAC as the Metric Halo.
- Thread Starter
- #232
I was thinking about the SSL2 as well. I sent the Komplete Audio 2 for repair, I would have preferred to return it with a refund but Thomann wants to repair it. Not sure what's the point, what stops the interface for showing the same problem a few weeks later?
BTW the Quested came in and right out the box they sound great! At the first heavy bass note they threw a large chunk of cloth/fabric in my face, it's probably coming from the interior of the speaker?
They warmed up for around ten minutes, the logo blinked and stopped when they were ready.
Congratilations!
Keep us updated on your thoughts, not so many Quested users here.
- Thread Starter
- #234
I will, absolutely. I need better stands, and to lower the height from 100 cm to 80 cm to have the tweeter at the correct level.
But my €50 Millennium stands cannot be lowered more than 100 cm.
I am purchasing these today, sadly the choices for sturdy stands are worse here in Europe compared to the US. My dream is something with four columns, but nothing on the horizon except the wooden and expensive Zaor stands. Not a fan of the pricing and their flashy display of their logo on the stands, which looks absolutely horrendous.
These (fixed 80cm) are my best choice at the moment.
My dream is something like this one (Target / US only). B&W makes a similar one, but as many hi-fi stands, is only 60 cm.
By the way, there's now a €50 price difference between the L and R Neumann, as another user was mentioning a few pages before. Interesting.
But my €50 Millennium stands cannot be lowered more than 100 cm.
I am purchasing these today, sadly the choices for sturdy stands are worse here in Europe compared to the US. My dream is something with four columns, but nothing on the horizon except the wooden and expensive Zaor stands. Not a fan of the pricing and their flashy display of their logo on the stands, which looks absolutely horrendous.
These (fixed 80cm) are my best choice at the moment.
My dream is something like this one (Target / US only). B&W makes a similar one, but as many hi-fi stands, is only 60 cm.
By the way, there's now a €50 price difference between the L and R Neumann, as another user was mentioning a few pages before. Interesting.
It's not necessary to buy lower stands, just mount the speakers upside down (tweeter below woofer). Might be better sounding because the mids are higher and may cause less reflections on the desktop.
- Thread Starter
- #236
Thanks. Hans Zimmer does that as well.
I bought the stands from the picture above because they support more weight and despite having a plate the same size, they feature two columns, whilst mine have one and wobble if you touch the speaker, and officially support 20 kg instead of 30.
Also, the pointed triangle feet of the Millennium poked holes on my pavement and carpets.
- Thread Starter
- #237
Here's a picture of the Quested V2108 in my studio, with HOFA basstraps in the front corners and a KRK 10'' subwoofer (not calibrated for music, just for movies).
The HOFA traps brought absolutely zero changes but it's probably due to the fact that I'll need them in the corners behind me as well, I suppose. There is still dramatic cancellation in the bass frequencies in my listening position, but I found an improvement:
Sitting closer to the desk as possible, and bringing the speakers as close as possible to the desk as well, in an ultra nearfield position. So nothing too different from the picture you see, just the speaker closer to me by 20 cm. These few centimeters make a significant difference, surprisingly.
The best listening position is still the one where I have the back at my right wall. So, looking at the picture, try to imagine that the table lamp is directly on my right, and my right ear is the only one in the direction of the speaker. The old position, more or less. But I don't have the physical energy to make more tests at the moment, especially because moving one of the V2018 is tough, might as well be made of concrete.
The V2018 sound great, warm, smooth, good for working and for listening music.
Bass is good, but on the K310 it was insane, and they went down to 34 Hz as well compared to 40 Hz here.
Separation on the KH310 was also phenomenal, but I didn't get used to it, in more than three weeks. I had never listened to a three way speaker before, which is why separation was distracting IMHO.
In retrospect, there was a huge difference between my old HS8 and the KH310. I'm keeping these obviously since I fell in love with them since the moment I saw them and I like how they sound, but with hindsight I've probably been too hard with the KH310, but they still had a few issues that made me return them.
Unless you have some questions for me, I will report back in a year and let you know how was working with the Quested V2108.
After your experience I was encouraged to upgrade and last weeked I bought 3 x Quested S8 (v2) for my studio setup. I have been looking at upgrading for many years and a rare opportunity to buy 3 of them presented itself. There was an ex- display pair in a music shop and i found a single on ebay. I'll report back once I've had time for a proper test. Have you tried the bass traps behind you ?
- Thread Starter
- #240
UPDATE:
After two weeks, yesterday the left Quested was playing at inferior volume compared to the right one (both set to 0), roughly half.
I swapped the R/L cables of my interface but the problem persisted, went back, wiggled a bit the cable behind the monitor, and everything went back to normal.
I should have swapped the cables that were coming out of the sub instead, and I missed an important step in the diagnosis of this issue. Swapping the cables behind my interface was pretty much useless as they are going into the sub first anyway.
What could have been? Should I be concerned about the speaker or it's usually something that cables do?
After two weeks, yesterday the left Quested was playing at inferior volume compared to the right one (both set to 0), roughly half.
I swapped the R/L cables of my interface but the problem persisted, went back, wiggled a bit the cable behind the monitor, and everything went back to normal.
I should have swapped the cables that were coming out of the sub instead, and I missed an important step in the diagnosis of this issue. Swapping the cables behind my interface was pretty much useless as they are going into the sub first anyway.
What could have been? Should I be concerned about the speaker or it's usually something that cables do?
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